Jar Kitchen, Covent Garden

I’ve been to a whole handful of good restaurants recently, and in a concerted effort to blog a bit more frequently I want to share all of them with you. I should really start at the beginning – I’m dying to tell you about my trip to Summer Project @ Forza Win back in July, and I’ve a whole weekend’s worth of Edinburgh tips to compile into a City Guide – but this little place I stumbled upon last week is so good, and so exciting that it has shot right up the pecking order. You know when you have a secret that’s just too good to keep, that it just slips out? Well, enter: Jar Kitchen.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Jar Kitchen so great. It doesn’t have a quirky USP, a specific ingredient or food type, and there aren’t even that many jars around (although the salt and pepper are served in mini jam jars with holes punched into the lids which is an adorable touch). It just is that great. A place you’d be proud to have as your local, a place where you want to catch up with friends and put the world to right.

And in order to do just that, B and I ordered a couple of Langleys G&Ts (£7 each) to get the ball rolling. I’m not sure if the size of the glasses is clear in these photos but let it be known that they were as big as my head. And that’s pretty much the only specification I look for in a G&T. Although the swirly straws were undeniably a bonus.

The menu is satisfyingly brief and it’s no understatement when I say a could happily have consumed any of the dishes on offer. For starters we plumped for the ox cheek and cheddar croquettes with aioli (£6.5) which were out of this world. Perfectly crisp on the outside and an explosion of flavour on the inside.

We also had the sea bass cerviche with avocado purée, fennel and seeds (£7.50) which was zingy, light and delicious. Top marks for presentation too.

Having agonised over which mains to order, we finally settled on the seared monkfish with grilled baby artichokes, toasted spelt, samphire, shallots and white wine sauce (£16). Such a meaty fish worked perfectly with what accompanied it and made for a truly excellent dish.

I couldn’t resist the pork belly, braised lentils, sprouts, bacon and capers (£14) which was a beauty of a plate and did not disappoint. I made me feel winter had arrived early and was giving me a huge hug.

The décor is cosy and perhaps a bit ‘cutesy’ but I love it. It has the feel of a neighbour café but with restaurant quality food.

The bill comes in a jar (obviously).

We left feeling well fed, happy and wanting to return soon. And I was very restrained… I waited a full three days before my next visit. Seriously, I just couldn’t stay away. This time I sampled the brunch menu; a friend from Paris was visiting and I wanted to show him something his city does very badly, and mine does very well.

If you want an extremely good looking plate of food, look no further than the earl grey smoked salmon with poached egg and hollandaise toast. You may have already spied this on my Instagram – isn’t it a beauty?